Guild Tales
Prologue: THE FORTELLING
I
Year 3100, 611 years before the Shattering……
A soft bed is all Banron Garras could think about. A soft bed where the sheet were clean and the pillows were filled with the feathers of the Faydarkian Eagle and not the harsh straws that he had carried with him in his journey. For the last three days, Banron, his wife Mellian, and their four-year-old son have made there way from the homeland of the Koda'dal to make a new home in the lost land of Kunark. This land is where the Koda'dal's of Felwithe made an outpost in the southern part of the continent. Not long ago, this lost continent was founded by the Felwithe merchant ship by accident. News of the new found land spread like wild fire in both Antonica and Faydwer. The great King decreed that an outpost must be set up in the land, because it was only a matter of time before their dark brothers, Tier'dal, would set there own claim to the land. Upon the first landing, the scouts soon found that the land had already been claimed but not form the Tier'dal. Two other races have already claim the land as there own. These races were rarely seen and had made it clear by both the Koda'dal nor the Tier'dal were not welcome.
Both the leaders of Felwithe and Neriak, the home of the Tier'dal, so it best to continue to build the outpost for the land held unique treasures and resources only found in this newly discover world. Though the plans to begin building the outpost were accelerated after the agents of Cazic-Thule kidnapped the daughter of Tunare. After she was rescued by the aid of adventures, the outpost remained operational and named after her, Fiorna Vie.
It is the new duty post for Banron, well respective Magician, sometime referred as Conjurer. When his master gave him his assignment, Banron pained to tell his beautiful wife that he had to up root his family and move to a land that is harsh and dangerous. She cried for weeks on end, till the day she finally realized that as long as they had each other, there was no use wasting tears. Banron promised her that one-day when they return to their home city that he will put up his spell book for good and live alive free and safe from perilous journeys. She smiled at him and felt safe and secure, because Banron never went back on his word. She trusted and loved him very much.
The boat in which he, his family and other new arrivals, were far less accommodating. Their were no quarters for the passengers, just a large hall below deck with hammocks for beds. Banron tried to make the voyage as comfortable for both his wife and his son. Even took to the floor for his slumber. The trip its self was not harsh but it was longer than expected. The normal trip from the docks of Butcherblock Mountains to the final dock of Fiorna Vie outpost is a day, a day and half at the most. Now its three days later and they just hit the Northeast of the continent.
He made his way onto the deck of the boat to see the morning sun rise and maybe with the hopes to see the wild life from afar. The sea air filled his nostrils as he came upon the deck. Banron never really cared much for the sea air but now the hint of land was pleasant smell to him. They were close enough to here the waves crashing on the Kunarkian beach. 'By this evening,' he thought to himself 'we will be dinning in our new home.' He felt some tugging his robe. He glanced down to find a small white haired High Elf next to him tring to get his attention.
"My son your up early," He smiled as he lifted his boy, "Are you excited as I am?"
The boy nodded and wrapped his arms around his father's neck. Banron lightly kissed his son's head and then pointed out the new contient.
"You see that? That's home,"
The boy looked out and softly repeated the last word, "home…"
"Don't worry my son, it won't be forever, we will be back to Felwithe once I'm done here. You hungry"
The boy smiled, "hungry…"
Banron laughed, "Of course you are… let me see if i can collect some breakfest from the deckhand," He scanned the deck and surprisingly it was empty of the normal crew. Did they sleep in, Banron thought?
He put the boy down on the deck, "stay here and watch the land, see if you could see any animals, while I look for the deckhand. Now don't fall over, or a monster will get you." He playfully said.
"Monster.."
"Yes son, monster hehehe.." Banron tried to tickle his son but then his son pointed behind Banron
"Monster.."
The Mage turned around and behind him was a large red Lizard like Creature holding a huge hammer. Its head had a beak of a dragon, and a couple of horns that came out from the back of its head. But the thing that really struck fear into Banron's heart was the dark yellow eyes of the creature. Before Banron could react the monster backhanded him to the deck floor. As he shook off the pain he heard his son scream. There was another one, and it had his boy.
"NO!!!" He screamed,
Next thing Banron saw was the large scaly foot as it smashed him square in the face. His vision became blurry as it filled with tears of pain. All he can see through the tears were large red blotches; even though he could bearly see, he knew was the attackers and there were more of them. As his vision cleared, he saw at least six more of the beast going down below deck. He tried to scream however the effort was futile when the creature that knocked him down, grabbed the helpless Mage by the back of the neck, and lifted him off the the deck floor. Banron tried to struggle his way out but the more he did, the stronger the grip became.
The screaming began from below the deck. He could hear his fellow comrades and there families struggling. Then the screams became screams of terror, cut off short with sounds of metal making contact with flesh. Then he the one scream that sunk his heart, Mellian
"BANRON!!" She cried out to him. "BANR--"
She was silent.
With her calls abruptly halted, Banron once again struggled free. This time with success. As the Mage fell to the deck, Banron made a quick sweep at his assailant's leg, knocking the beast down on his backside. He quickly got up and sprinted to the hatch leading to the bed down deck. Another creature near by, tried to block his the High Elf, but Banron had gain so much momentum that he pushed off the huge beast overboard. The creature scream as it fell into the ocean below.
"MELLIAN!!" He screamed, as he reached the hatch way openning. He could see that the steps and the deck below was drenched in blood. He stopped not for he knew her fate and there was nothing he could do for her. Suddenly there was a scream behind him. The scream of a child.
"My boy" he said to him self. At the bow of the boat, one of the creatures still had him held. The boy didn't look hurt but he was scared. He knew even if he had his Staff and his spell book that there was no chance of him and his son to escape from their attackers.
Banron clasps his hands together and began to chat his words of magic, then with one hand raised above his head, a bright spark launched into the morning sky. It was a signal, a distress signal. He'd hope that his brethren were near enough to see it.
The next moment, Banron lost balance fell to the deck floor again. He had used all his power to make this light as bright as it can, in turn making him weak for a moment. However he didn't have that moment of rest. The first creature he had knocked down, had already regained himself and charged the fallen mage, knocking him to his back. Banron, now looking up at his foe knew that his time had ended. The beast raised his hammer above his head, ready to bury it into the mage. In that few seconds, Banron made one last silent prayer to his god, Karana the Stormbringer, "Please my lord, keep my son safe." Then he turned his head to face his only son, their eyes met. The boy was filled with fear. Banron was fill with sadness just before the hammer came crashing down upon the Koda'dal's head. Banron's last words came out to his son, "I love you."
The boy answered back without repeating his father's last word, "daddy…"
That was the last thing Banron Garras heard before his world was filled with darkness.
